Rockin’ Thunder 2025: Whale and the Wolf interview

Whale and the Wolf is an alt-indie band based in Edmonton. Before their set on the YEG rocks stage at the Rockin’ Thunder 2025, the band journeyed to a dusty spot by a Pepsi trailer off beyond the festival to chat with The Gateway about their upcoming work, and the Edmonton music scene.

With their last release coming out in 2023, the band said they’re working on a new record. “We’ve got like half the album recorded,” Ryan Maier, the band’s vocalist said. “We’re still writing the back half. We’ve got one more show after [Rockin’ Thunder] and then it’s back to the studio for the rest of the year. We’ve been testing out songs off the upcoming record here in Edmonton.”

The band played a show last month to test their songs to make sure “they weren’t total shit,” Maier joked. “Seemed like it went over really well,” he added. 

The band’s lead guitarist, Brandon Yaggey, noted that Maier had the crowd singing along to songs that they were playing for the first time. Maier responded saying they’re happy to know the lyrics are easy to understand and catchy. 

On what’s different with the upcoming project from the last, Yaggey said “the writing process is the main difference.” Lucas Holt, the band’s bassist, joked that the upcoming record will “have different notes, some different tempos.” 

“For the couple of songs that do have political undertones, you’ll know what side we lean,” Maier says

Maier said “way back when we did our first album, a lot of the songs were written in the jam space where we were all together, working stuff out. This one, just by way of COVID[-19], and having to be apart from each other, we had to adapt to new technology and learn how to get sent an idea and work something off of it, and send back your idea. And then getting back into the jam space and ironing it all out.”

Yeggey added that they learned a lot of tricks from producers during their first recording sessions that they implemented into the project as well. Pre-production was a main one Yeggey pointed out. Overall, he said this record has a “more mature writing process,” and that the band is taking their time with it. 

In terms of lyrical content and ongoing narratives throughout the album, Maier said “it’s all over the map. We’ve written over the last three years, there’s been a lot of stuff. Politically, it’s been crazy and there’s a bit of that. There’s been a lot going on in our personal lives as well that we pull from. But it’s not like we’re just picking to write about the Grand Canyon [for example].” 

Politically, Maier made note of mental health and social media. “It doesn’t matter what side of the spectrum you’re on. With social media, we’re all getting punished with the worst shit every single day. Everyone’s addicted to this. For the couple of songs that do have political undertones, you’ll know what side we lean,” Maier explained. 

The band agreed that they usually start with the instrumental when writing. Yaggey joked that  “it’s the music first, and then [Maier] goes off into a dark closet with his journal.” The music overall is what leads to the lyrics the band agreed. “A song can have a feel before there’s words put to it,” Joel Jeschke, the band’s drummer added. 

On the sound of the new record, Yaggey described it as “hard pop.” He added that “it’s a mix of rock with a lot of pop structure. And I think that translates into almost every song. That borderline pop music with a lot of rock, heavy rock, and alternative rock. Something everyone can enjoy.” Holt added “hey, that’s an Offspring quote,” referencing the ending of “Why Don’t You Get a Job,” by The Offspring. 

“Edmonton is just more community focused,” Maier says

Overall, with the new project, Maier said they “just want to add to the continuing history of the band. I just want more shit in our catalogue so that people have more stuff to dive through. Not that we’re going to just shit songs out to have them out there, but that’s what we look forward to.”

On the Edmonton music scene, Maier said that it’s picking back up since COVID-19. “It got funny when no one was allowed to play music for a while there. But we’ve all been out to more local shows lately and it feels like there’s a lot more interconnectedness and there’s more young bands coming up and making new stuff. You’ll see a band you haven’t seen before and go ‘holy shit they’re good.’” 

Jeschke called out Edmonton’s Morning Coyote for example, noting they’re playing Starlite on July 25. Yaggey said “everyone gets excited about local bands. It’s a very supportive music scene in Edmonton.” 

In response to Yaggey, Maier said “that’s usually what we hear when we talk to people from other places. Edmonton is just more community focused. People tend to want to play shows together and support each other rather than try and get something from each other. It’s all more collaborative.”

The band said they’re excited to be a part of the founding bill for Rockin’ Thunder 2025, and they hope it keeps going.